The Crockett Sanitary Department and Port Costa Sanitary Department are dedicated
to protecting our environment through improving water quality
in the Carquinez Strait and San Francisco Bay. The following
information is provided to you as part of our State-required
"Waste Minimization Program" to control pollution at
the source in an effort to protect water quality.

Pollution prevention is something that everyone must take
seriously. Many household hazardous wastes, such as paints,
motor oil & antifreeze, kitchen grease & oil are being
disposed of in household sinks and storm water drains. These
wastes can foul our sewers and upset our treatment plant, costing
money in maintenance costs. If they find their way to the bay,
our water quality is degraded and Crockett may have to pay fines.
Everyone can help reduce this problem.

Drop-Off Center

West County has a collection program to help Crockett
safely dispose of common household wastes that might
otherwise harm our environment. A drive-thru drop-off
center is located at 101 Pittsburg Avenue in Richmond.
There is no charge and no appointment needed! The facility
is open Thursdays, Fridays and the first Saturday of every
month from 9am-4pm. Call 1-888-412-9277 for more information,
or use their helpful website at www.recyclemore.com

Garden Chemicals

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District offers help to
gardening enthusiasts who are interested in using less
harmful garden chemicals for pests and diseases. Please
go to their website at
www.centralsan.org for ways that you
can protect our environment.

Mercury

If you have any fever thermometers or weather thermometers
containing mercury, please take safety precautions at all
times. Mercury is a highly toxic chemical that causes nerve
and brain damage in tiny quantities. A broken thermometer in
your bathroom sink will send mercury on its way to the Bay.
Environmentally safe digital thermometers are now being
manufactured as a convenient alternative. Here in Crockett
we have a thermometer exchange program to safely remove mercury
from homes and protect our treatment plant from expensive
violations of water quality standards. You can help! Just
call us at 787-2992. We'll come to your home to give you a
free digital fever thermometer for each mercury thermometer
that you turn in. We'll also be happy to collect other products
containing mercury such as thermostats and fluorescent tubes.
This will protect your family and our environment from
exposure to mercury!

Copper Chemicals

Copper is a toxic element that must be kept from the Bay.
Copper may be found in chemical products in your garden or
basement. Garden products such as root killers and pesticides
may contain copper. Wood preservatives and pool & spa chemicals
are other common sources of copper in the home. Copper sulfate
root killers are now banned in California and must never be
poured down the drain or sewer! If you have any of these unwanted
chemical products at your Crockett home or business, please take
them to the West County drop-off center or call us at 787-2992
for safe pick-up and disposal.

And please remember never to burn preservative-treated
wood, because toxic fumes are released in burning. Be
careful, and be safe!

Lead Products

Lead can be found in most homes in Crockett today. It may
be in lead paint on the house or in lead solder used on water
pipes. It may be found in antifreeze, in leads batteries or
lead fishing weights. Lead has provided many consumer benefits,
but it is also toxic in sufficient quantity. To protect your
children, yourself and our environment, state and federal agencies
have worked hard to remove lead from gasoline, paint, solder and
other common household products. You can help further by taking
all unwanted lead products to the West County drop-off facility
or by calling us at 787-2992 for pick-up. Please do it soon!

Kitchen Grease and Oil

Pouring kitchen grease or cooking oil down your drain
creates grease clogs in the sewer system. This leads to
sewer backups at home and sewage overflows in the street,
all of which cost us more for maintenance. It also causes
trouble at our treatment plant. We can all save money if
more people would pour kitchen grease and oil into cans and
jars for disposal in their garbage cans. It is better for
you and for our environment!

Report Illegal Dumping

If you know of anyone who is dumping motor oil, paint or other
bad things down a sewer or storm drain, WE NEED TO KNOW! Unsafe
disposal is causing damage and costing us all money. You can help
us all by reporting unsafe practices, anonymously or not. A
neighborhood drug lab, for instance, can be more dangerous than
most people may realize because our Sanitary District may have
to pay fines for toxic chemicals in our wastewater. Call us at
787-2992.